


Let's Try It Again

by kerryblaze



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Anal Sex, First Time, M/M, Oral Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-01-22
Updated: 2011-01-22
Packaged: 2017-10-14 23:09:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,001
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/154494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kerryblaze/pseuds/kerryblaze
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for the kinkme_merlin prompt: <i>"Merlin had let Will try to fuck him once but it hurt and is an experience Merlin never, ever wants to repeat. Arthur is obsessed with fucking his manservant, so he asks Merlin to fuck him first, to prove how good it can feel. Bonus points if Arthur has never bottomed before, but wants Merlin that much..."</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Let's Try It Again

**Author's Note:**

> A special thanks to my betas hardticket and misscake.

"Did you try –?"

"I'm not having this conversation _here_ ," Merlin snapped.

"We're in the stables, Merlin," Arthur said. "The horses don't understand what we're saying."

Merlin continued brushing the horse, ignoring him.

"I'm only saying that maybe you and – you know who - maybe you weren't doing it properly."

Merlin snorted. "It's not that difficult to figure out what goes where."

"What sort of oil did you use?"

"Oil? Why would you use…? _Oh_." Merlin's brain caught up with his mouth and his cock caught on soon after, perking up just a bit, and displaying a vested interest in the proper uses of lubrication.

"Ah! I was right! You weren't doing it correctly. No wonder it hurt, you idiot."

"Shut it. Oil isn't going to make anything smaller and it isn't going to make anything bigger!" Merlin sighed. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

Arthur stepped closer until Merlin could feel his breath skimming over the back of his neck. "And maybe you were doing it with the wrong person."

"Is this what this is about – _jealousy_? Because I told you already - we didn't really do it. It was only for a few seconds. It hurt so I asked him to stop and he did. That was it."

"I'm not jealous. I just…." Arthur nuzzled his nose along the hair on Merlin's neck. "I want you…"

Normally, Merlin loved hearing Arthur say things like that, but he had never forgotten his first and only experience. It had hurt and he had bled; only a bit, but it had been enough to freak him out and turn him off the thought of ever doing it again.

He didn't really object to a little pain with pleasure – a bite here and a tug there, and, just last night, a good strong yank on his hair as he sucked Arthur off while he wanked himself had brought on a very intense orgasm – but blinding pain and anything involving blood was not his idea of a good time.

The horse whinnied. Arthur moved back, just a single footstep, and Merlin took the opportunity to get away from his attempt at seduction.

"No and that's final. I told you it hurt. And Will was _not_ the wrong person." He slammed the grooming brush on the table. "And, if you're so keen on it, why don't you try it yourself?"

Maybe Arthur had been wrong about the horses understanding them because they had stilled and seemed to be waiting for Arthur's response just as much as Merlin.

"What… that's not… Well, what I mean to say is…"

"Right," Merlin said, shaking his head. "I thought as much. It's all right for me, but not for _you_."

"I didn't – that's not what I –"

Merlin picked up a saddle and headed for the door. "I need to get this to the saddler. The strap is worn."

"Merlin!"

"No, Arthur. I'm not letting you have the last word," Merlin said without turning around.

He continued on towards the lower town, planning on avoiding Arthur for the rest of the day and night. It'd be good to let Arthur spend a night alone. Maybe then he'd go back to being happy getting each other off in less sadistic ways.

~ ~ ~

"What are you looking at?" Arthur mumbled at the chestnut mare staring at him. She flicked an ear and continued to watch him with her big brown eyes. "He's the one being a stubborn idiot. It doesn't always hurt. At least… I don't think it does. Everyone whom I ever - _why_ am I talking to a damn horse?"

Arthur stalked out of the stables and to the training field intent on taking out his Merlin sized frustrations on something that didn't talk back to him.

"You!" he bellowed at a squire unlucky enough to be in his path. "Set up a target and a practice dummy and fetch me a sword, a crossbow, and – no! Are you new? Set up the targets first!"

With a weapon in his hand, Arthur attacked everything in sight that wasn't breathing. The sun beat down on him for hours until he could hardly see from the sweat dripping into his eyes. He stopped, feeling no better than when he had started, brushed the damp fringe off his forehead, and looked around for Merlin to give him a cloth, but only the squire and a few curious knights stood watching him. He shouted something that deep down he knew was unreasonable and stormed off towards the castle, heading straight for Gaius's chambers.

He listened outside the door for voices. When he was satisfied Gaius was alone, he entered.

"Good afternoon, Gaius."

Gaius looked up from his work and hurried around the table. "Sire, are you ill?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you certain? You look pale. Do you have a fever?"

"I was training."

Gaius pulled out a chair. "Please, sire, sit." He grabbed a ceramic jug and poured Arthur a goblet of water. "Here drink this."

Arthur grunted, but took the goblet and drank it down in a few gulps.

"Are looking for Merlin?" Gaius asked. "Because he's not here. I thought he was with you."

"I'm not here for Merlin. My shoulder," Arthur rubbed his right shoulder, "has been stiff. I'm here for a bottle of massage oil."

"Well, if you need a massage, I have time now."

"No," Arthur said more harshly than he had intended. Adjusting his voice into a more casual tone, he continued, "It's fine now. It's only a slight inconvenience in the morning. I'm certain that Merlin will be... he will be adequate enough to perform the task."

Gaius said nothing, but his raised eyebrow said enough that he doubted Arthur's story. He went to his stores, came back with a bottle, and handed it to Arthur.

Arthur smelled it. "Not this one," he said. "The other one. Lavender."

"Lavender oil is best for before bed. This oil, you'll find, is more invigorating and works best for morning massages."

Lavender was supposed to help one relax or so Arthur had been told. But invigorating sounded very interesting.

"I'll take both."

"Both?"

" _Yes_ , Gaius. Both."

Gaius turned his back. Arthur stood and peered over Gaius's shoulder. "I'll require a bigger bottle."

~ ~ ~

Word had spread around Camelot that the Prince was in a dreadful mood and Merlin moved deeper into the castle to put as much space between them as he could.

 _'If you're so keen on it, why don't you try it yourself?'_ He had said it in the heat of the moment, but Merlin couldn't get the thought or the image of it out of his head no matter how much distance he put between them.

He knew that other men successfully did what Arthur wanted to do, even if Will and he hadn't. Stumbling onto two men fucking in the woods had given him and Will the idea in the first place. Before that they had only shared a few clumsy kisses and fumbling around as they stroked each other off. They had both got hard watching the couple, which resulted in Will pushing Merlin against the nearest tree and rutting against him, fully clothed, until they both came.

A few days had passed before Merlin worked up the nerve to mention trying what they had seen. After an embarrassing conversation, Merlin had agreed to let Will _'put it in him'_ because Will's wasn't as big as Merlin's. Merlin hadn't counted the seconds, but he'd guess that it only lasted thirty at the most. Will had shoved the head of his cock inside and burning pain had seared through him. When Will had tried to thrust in further, the pain had become unbearable and Merlin asked him to stop. Will had listened immediately, but for an inexperienced teenager it had been enough and he came as he pulled out, his come splattering on Merlin's balls and arse.

The physical soreness and sting had remained for only a few days, but the embarrassment of it and the awkwardness between them had lasted weeks. They had never spoke of it and never touched each other intimately again.

For the first time since then, Merlin considered giving it another try, but this time, on the giving end of it. He spent the entire day thinking about Arthur's arse, rather than thinking that Arthur _was_ an arse.

All day he thought about things he could do with that arse. The arse that he considered perfect and had often held on to, with both hands, pressing Arthur down as he pushed up, causing that glorious friction that, up to today, he had thought was enough.

Obsessing about Arthur's arse made him have to sneak off to a private area for a quick wank while he thought about biting it, licking it, fucking it, and, even daring to imagine, coming all over it.

It didn't go unnoticed by Merlin – at least once his brain started functioning again after his wank – that his fantasies were only about Arthur's arse and not Arthur himself. Merlin just couldn't imagine Arthur being that vulnerable and intimate with anyone.

He returned to Gaius's chambers by dinner time having successfully avoided Arthur for the entire day and found Gaius gone without a note or dinner. It wasn't a surprise. Merlin had spent the past few days – no! Had he really spent the past few _weeks_ in Arthur's chambers every night? It surprised him that he couldn't remember the last time that he had slept alone.

He ate cold bland stew and poked around in his magic book for a few hours before Gaius returned.

"Oh, you're here."

"Where else would I be?"

"No need to snap at me, Merlin. I presumed you'd be with Arthur."

"No… don't know why," Merlin muttered.

Gaius shook his head and started to unpack his sack that contained his medicines. "Is he feeling better?"

"Who?"

" _Arthur_."

Merlin panicked. Had something happened to Arthur while he was alone and Merlin was off pouting? He would never forgive himself.

"What happened? Is he all right?"

"Nothing happened… I don't know. He came in here earlier today. I thought he looked ill, but Arthur said he was only training." Gaius paused. "He was acting odd though. Said his shoulder hurt and asked for oil. He took two large bottles. It'll take me days to -"

"He asked for…" Merlin couldn't believe it.

Arthur couldn't be that much of a…

"He asked for what?"

"What is wrong with you tonight, Merlin? I clearly said _oil_."

… He was! He was an _arse_. A stubborn, self-centred, callous, insufferable _arse_!

He stood quickly from the bench, ignored Gaius's questioning expression, and barrelled through the castle to Arthur's chambers.

~ ~ ~

Merlin was so wrapped up in his anger that he acted on instinct when he arrived at Arthur's chamber. He didn't need keys or an incantation. He only needed the desire to enter the room and his magic granted it.

The lock clicked, the sound of it echoing in the hallway, and without pause, he opened it and stepped in.

"Arthur, I can't believe you – you… what the…"

Arthur sat up and swung his legs around the edge of the bed.

Paralysed by confusion, Merlin stood there, trying to process what he had just seen. If Arthur's cheeks hadn't turned pink and his eyes weren't firmly focused on the floor, Merlin would've thought he'd imagined that he walked in on Arthur lying in bed, naked, with one hand on his cock and the fingers of the other hand thrust inside of him.

"Merlin, we've had this conversation about knocking before."

"I… you… I thought… you were… _why_ …?"

Arthur regained his normal composed poise, lifting his chin and straightening his back.

"I never ask my knights to do anything that I wouldn't do," he said.

This was Arthur underneath the mask of the spoilt brat. This was Arthur after the hard and jagged edges got smoothed out. This was the Arthur with a noble and brave soul that Merlin loved.

It made him want Arthur like he never had before. Well that and the fact that he was gorgeous, naked, hard, and obviously willing to stick body parts up his arse.

Merlin walked towards Arthur, his own very interested body part growing quickly. He noticed the bottles of oil, one uncorked, on the stand next to the bed. He reached the bed, pushed Arthur's knees apart, and stepped between them.

"What are you grinning at?" Arthur asked, still trying to keep up the cool façade.

"This isn't a battle."

"I know that!" Arthur looked unwavering into Merlin's eyes. "I took what you said into consideration. And I decided that I could not properly advise you, if I have not experienced it for myself."

"You…" Merlin said and cupped Arthur's jaw softly in his palms.

Arthur went rigid and Merlin shook his head, saying soppy things to each other was clearly not going to be received well.

Merlin could work around that. He pushed Arthur down on his back and hovered over him.

"Did you like it? Did it feel good, sire?"

~ ~ ~

Arthur couldn't believe that Merlin could be so bold to ask him these sorts of questions. A gentleman would've ignored the sensitive nature of the situation. But not Merlin. No. He merely stared at Arthur, daring to wear an expression that demanded an answer.

"Merlin," Arthur said between gritted teeth.

"Tell me."

"It was... pleasing."

Merlin chuckled low in his throat. " _Pleasing_ , was it?" He bent only his head and kissed along Arthur's jaw to his ear. "Advise me, Arthur. I want you to show me how good it feels."

The warm gust of breath against his ear and the simple touch of Merlin's tunic brushing against his cock drove all thoughts of gentlemanly behaviour out of his mind, leaving only a need to be touched in ways that he had never imagined before now – before Merlin.

The realisation that he trusted Merlin – and _only_ Merlin – to see him like that left him both terrified and aroused.

"Undress first," he said.

Merlin obeyed, more swiftly than any other command Arthur had ever given him, and stood there waiting for his next instruction. Looking at Merlin, naked and already hard, with his eyes roaming over Arthur's body, made it difficult for Arthur to find his voice.

Merlin seemed to understand and prompted him to continue. He reached towards the bottles of oil. "Should I…?"

"Yes."

"Which one?"

"The open one. Yes. Yes… that's it. I like that one."

"Tried both of them, did you?" Smirking, Merlin smelled the oil. "Basil and Rosemary. Why did you like this one?"

"It tingles."

"Oh…" The pink splotches on Merlin's neck darkened a little. "What now?"

Merlin tried to look and sound confident, but there was a slight tremble in his hand that made Arthur curious if it was caused by nervousness or excitement. If he felt like Arthur, it was an abundance of both.

Arthur sat up and took the bottle out of Merlin's hand.

"Here. Let me do it."

He flipped Merlin's hand palm up and poured several drops of oil onto it. Methodically, he massaged the smooth liquid on Merlin's fingers, coating them thoroughly. Merlin's breathing became heavy and his mouth fell open slightly as he watched.

Arthur took more time than needed, trying to suppress the urge to rush this. He was already wet and open from earlier. It had started out as an experiment, a simple curiosity to see if it did indeed hurt. It had at first, but Arthur had been so determined for it not to – he wanted to do this with Merlin and he wanted Merlin to enjoy it - that he continued on. Until it didn't hurt and the pleasure pushed his mind further, beyond just his fingers and he imagined they were Merlin's or Merlin's cock and, by the time, Merlin had actually appeared in the flesh he had been close to the edge, but needing something more. And he wanted it now, wanted _more_.

But Merlin needed him to stay in control. He needed him to lead.

"Oil is very important," Arthur said matter-of-factly. "So is preparation." He let go of Merlin and laid himself back down. "Go on. Touch me."

Merlin stared at him for a few silent moments and, just before it became awkward, he covered Arthur's body and kissed him, hard and filthy, sucking Arthur's tongue into his mouth, until Arthur's resolve slipped and he grabbed two fistfuls of Merlin's hair, pulling him away. "Touch me, Merlin. _Please_."

~ ~ ~

Merlin's body pressed warm and long on top of him and his finger circled Arthur's opening gently.

"Arthur," he whispered with a brief brush of lips along Arthur's ear. "What does it feel like?"

"It's like…" He didn't know what Merlin wanted to hear. Did he want to know emotionally how it made him feel or physically how it made him feel?

"Does it hurt?"

"It feels… it's like when you touch my nipples. It… um – my toes feel warm… and it goes straight to my cock."

"Oh… it does?" Merlin frowned and he moved his finger to point at his nipple. "When you do that to me, it doesn't make me feel anything – pleasing."

"Really?"

Merlin shrugged.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I dunno. You really enjoy it."

"You should've told me."

"Hey…" Merlin kissed him. "You liked doing it – yeah? And I like you touching me - a lot."

"What else don't you like?"

"I didn't say I didn't like it. I like it. It's just not – stop pouting"

"I am most certainly not pouting."

"Of course not." Merlin kissed him again and his finger went back to work. This time with more pressure and, when he pushed the tip of it against the entrance, Arthur's toes curled.

"Okay? Can I -?"

"Yes!"

He pushed his finger in slowly and lowered his mouth to Arthur's nipples tracing small circles around it with his tongue.

"Yeah, it's okay. It feels… oh, fuck."

Pleasure exploded inside Arthur, sending a wave of heat through him that made it feel like his spine might melt. He clenched the blanket in his fists and arched his back.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No – no. It feels good. There's a spot… earlier I found… it's…" He took a deep breath and continued, trying not to sound so desperate, "Add another finger."

"Are you certain…?"

"Merlin..." Arthur said forcefully.

Merlin pulled out his finger. A small moan escaped Arthur's throat before he could stop it. A louder one followed when Merlin, even slower than before, pushed his fingers back inside.

"You… can… move them. The spot - curve your finger up and feel around. I'll tell you when – there. No back to the left. The _other_ left. Yesohfuckyes. Just – keep moving out – almost out… and then in - touching right there."

"You're shaking."

"It's all right… I…" He pushed his hips forward, shoving Merlin's fingers in deeper. "Merlin – yeah. That's it… add another…"

Because Merlin looked concerned and like he was holding his breath as he added the third finger, Arthur put on a bit of a show to illustrate that it didn't hurt, moaning and writhing and begging for deeper, harder, faster as Merlin kept pushing his pleasure beyond his limits.

"You're so hard," Merlin said, his voice hoarse and breathless. He licked his lips and angled his body so his mouth moved towards Arthur's cock and Arthur's cock twitched, looking forward to the attention.

Merlin's lips wrapped around his shaft while his fingers pushed and pulled and opened him wider, but Arthur still had this burning itch inside of him demanding to be scratched.

"Merlin…"

"Ummmm…"

He tugged on one of Merlin's ears. "Merlin..."

Merlin looked up at him.

"That's – not – helping," he panted.

Merlin raised an eyebrow.

"Looking at me like that! With those – those _eyes_ and my cock in your mouth!"

Merlin hummed.

"If you don't stop, I'll come!"

Merlin slid his mouth off. "That's sort of the point."

"I know. But I…"

Arthur felt doubt creep out from inside his pride. This was something that someone of his stature demanded from his male lovers, not something that they did.

Looking concerned, Merlin wiped the sweaty fringe from Arthur's forehead. When he saw the warmth in Merlin's eyes, he remembered the first time he'd ignored both of their stations and kissed this man who drove him mad as often as he made him feel loved. He remembered the first time they'd undressed and pulled and pushed and thrust against each other until they both came, the first time Merlin had sunk to his knees and sucked his cock, and the first time Merlin had begged _'Arthur, please,'_ and he'd became so overcome with lust and affection that he crossed another line and fell to his own knees, physically pledging allegiance to this man.

His doubts vanished.

"I want to wait. I want you inside of me before I -"

"You really want to do this?"

"I told you I did. It's the honourable thing to do." Arthur pushed Merlin's shoulders urging him to stand up. Once standing between Arthur's thighs again, Arthur grabbed the oil, poured it into his palm, and reached for Merlin's cock. "Now that I'm prepared, it's your turn."

~ ~ ~

"You're thinking too much."

Merlin stared at Arthur's hands smoothing the oil over his cock. How had they got here? Could he do this? Arthur was strong and he knew he wasn't going to break him, but Arthur really seemed to want this and what if he couldn't deliver? What if he was rubbish at it?

"Merlin!"

"Huh?"

"I said you're thinking too much. I know that thinking is a new concept for you…" He kissed Merlin's stomach. "But do try to relax."

"Git," Merlin responded and lightly slapped the back of Arthur's head. "I'm just… what if…?"

Arthur fell back on to the bed and put his ankles on Merlin's shoulders. "Start off slow… don't –"

"Wait – wait." Merlin took a deep breath and placed Arthur's legs back on the bed.

"What are you doing?"

Merlin leaned down, resting chest to chest on Arthur, and kissed him lovingly and slow, sliding his fingers through his hair, a simple act that he never grew tired of.

This wasn't only a desperate fuck between friends to relieve tension or because you'd grown bored with your own hand. This meant something more to Merlin and he wanted to know if it meant something to Arthur too.

When he stopped to kiss Arthur's cheek, Arthur chuckled. "I didn't know you were one for romance, Merlin."

"Just… _don't_. Okay? Just let me…"

The amusement in Arthur's eyes disappeared and his hands moved to Merlin's face, holding it lightly. "It's all right. I…"

"Arthur, it's… this is…"

"I know," he whispered, running his thumb over Merlin's lips. "I know."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes."

"But what if I…? What if it's not _good_?"

"It's not about that… it's about you."

Merlin didn't respond because his Arthur history had taught him that his prince's emotions ran deep, but the ability to express them caused too much of a strain on his limited social skills. So Arthur would only say something to ruin it and Merlin wanted to keep the moment perfect.

He moved them back into position, wearing a wide grin that he reckoned made him look like an idiot.

"Remember go slow at first," Arthur said with a much less clinical tone than before.

Merlin rested his cheek against Arthur's ankle, held his cock, and pushed it against Arthur's hole. The warmth and tightness pressed around the head of his cock and he bit down on his lip, struggling against the urge to shove forward without caring and surround himself in Arthur's delicious heat. He eased in slow and watched Arthur's face closely, seeing if there were any hints of pain.

"It hurts," Arthur said, understanding Merlin's hesitation. "But it's not unbearable. I just have to relax."

"Will this help?" Merlin asked and wrapped his hand, still slick and oily, around Arthur's cock.

"Yeah – yeah. That's it… it's all right. Keep going…"

He pushed in while stroking Arthur and knowing that he wasn't going to last long. It was too much, too soon, and too unexpected with too many expectations. Arthur looked so gorgeous, spread out on the bed, exposed and wanton that it sent an intense ache of desire burning through him.

"Arthur… fuck – I can't…"

His legs shook and he wrapped an arm around Arthur's leg to steady himself as he started to move, thrusting in and out, trying hard to keep it gentle and slow, but his insides burned too hot and he drove in harder and faster, his fingers digging into Arthur's thigh.

Arthur shoved Merlin's hand off his cock and stroked himself. "It's… it feels so…" Merlin never heard the rest of Arthur's description because it all became just that side of too much. With blood pounding in his ears and his eyes shut so tight that he saw white spots, he came inside of Arthur, shaking with an embarrassing lump in his throat.

Merlin's brain and body had turned to mush. He could barely stand, having to use the bed and Arthur's thighs to hold him up. He opened his eyes to find Arthur looking at him, his hand stilled on his cock. Arthur's intense look of desire sparked Merlin's insentient mind to life. He pushed his hands under Arthur's arse, bent down and sucked his cock into his mouth. Arthur kept his hand on the base and put the other on the back of Merlin's head, encouraging and leading his cock deep into Merlin's mouth.

Feeling Arthur's firm powerful arse finally in his hands after daydreaming about it all day further energised Merlin. He squeezed the cheeks and pushed Arthur up into his mouth, sucking long and deep, until Arthur thrust his hips upward on his own, gripped Merlin's hair, grumbled low in this throat and came down Merlin's throat.

Panting, Arthur's fingers turned from frantic to tender and they gently massaged Merlin's scalp and exhaustion settled into Merlin's bones. He dragged himself up onto the bed next to Arthur.

Arthur's breathing returned to normal and Merlin continued to stare at the ceiling, telling himself that it all really happened and he wasn't back at Gaius's dreaming.

"I told you," Arthur said.

"I… that could've been better. Sorry I didn't – you know, last for longer."

"Merlin," Arthur said in his princely tone. "Learning control only comes with time and practice. Most men find their first time to be less than their top form." Arthur paused and added, "Mine was the exception."

Merlin laughed and turned to Arthur as Arthur turned to him, flashing the smile that crinkled his eyes and always made Merlin's heart stop for a moment.

"Of course it was, sire."

Arthur rolled onto his side and threw a leg over Merlin's.

"I'm committing myself to your continued education in this art form. It will require time and practice. You must be very dedicated, Merlin. Are you up for the challenge?"

"Not at the moment," Merlin said, smirking and glancing down at his flaccid cock. "But give me a few minutes and let's try it again."

~ ~ ~

It wasn't that night or the next morning or even a fortnight after before Merlin felt comfortable enough to switch places. It wasn't until the next time Arthur almost died and Merlin almost died saving him that Merlin's need to express his trust and loyalty surpassed his fears and he clung to Arthur and whispered in his ear, "Let's try it again."

During those first few years when their relationship was new, the phrase ignited immediate passion in both of them. Whenever one of them used it, the other knew they were about to try something new and daring. As the years passed, their relationship grew stronger. However, their sexual exploits waned as their responsibilities grew after Uther died and Arthur took the throne with Merlin at his side as court sorcerer. Sneaking off alone on hunting trips and having lie-ins on rainy days were replaced with quests to show Camelot's strength and long nights spent around the round table strategising with their knights.

One evening, while Merlin ate dinner alone in their chambers, a guard knocked on the door and told him that the king had requested he come to the throne room immediately. Years ago, Merlin would've assumed Arthur needed him for something annoying and frivolous, like wanting his muddy boots polished just to go out in the rain again or maybe to remove a wine stain on his favourite red jacket, but these days an urgent summons from the king meant something serious.

Merlin hurried through the halls and entered the room expecting to be faced with another threat or tragedy that had befallen Camelot, but instead found Arthur alone and wearing nothing but a cheeky grin and his new beard - a product of a month long quest and a bit of laziness - that Merlin was still unsure about.

He stopped a few feet from the throne and crossed his arms over his chest. "Your highness, your manservant seems to be even more incompetent than your last. It appears he's overlooked dressing you this morning."

" _No one_ could possibly be as inept as my last servant, but I didn't call you here to discuss the competency of my servant."

He stood, turned around, and knelt on the throne. Merlin's eyes went right to his arse, still glorious and perfect after all these years, and he decided that it had been far too long since he had a chance to worship it. But this was Camelot's _throne_ ; it felt wrong and dirty and Merlin was already really very _very_ hard.

"Arthur, are sure?'

Arthur looked back over his shoulder and Merlin decided then and there that the beard was staying.

"Oh, I'm certain," Arthur said. "Now stop talking, get over here, and let's try it again."


End file.
